Playing-cards.



E. M. McDOWELL. PLAYING CARDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY h 1918- 1,277,969. PatentedSept. 3, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. M. McDOWELL.

PLAYING CARDS. I APPLICATION FILED JULY H1913.

1,277,969. I PatentedSept.'3,1918. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ms NORRIS wn-rzus ca Pmnmunuz, wAsnmcnm, m c.

UNITED s'rATns PATENT Furor ELIZABETH M. MCDOWELL, or OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON.

PLAYING-CARDS.

. ing-Cards, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accom panying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in playing cards, and more particularly to playing cards having symbols emblematic of nations and the fighting powers of the nations.

An object of the invention is to provide playing cards of the above character which are so constructed as to form a number of series of groups of cards in which each card in each series may be provided with a character indicating a nation and wherein each series of cards will include a card provided with a character indicating the flag of'the' nation and with other cards provided with symbols emblematic of the fighting powers of such nation, the cards of each series, also, having a character indicating the relative value thereof and certain of the cards having characters indicating the count value given to such cards.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention Figures 1 to l, inclusive, show, respectively, a series or group of cards including a card having a flag or other symbol emblematic of a nation, each group in the re spective figures representing a different nation' Fig; 5 is a plan View showing the cards of a series or group having the American flag and symbols representing the fighting powers of the American nation.

The invention consistsbroadly in playing cards comprising a number of series or groups of cards, each group containing as a high card of the group a card having a symbol representing a nation as, for example, the flag of the nation, and the other cards of each group having a symbol representing certain of the fighting powers of the nation; as, for example, the army, the aeroplane, the submarine, the battleship and the liberty bondthe liberty bond being, of course. a'fighting power as it makes possible the other fighting powers mentioned. The

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 3, 1918, Application filed July 1,1918. Serial No. 242,727. 7 5

representing the American nation or group. in which the. high card bears the American flag; Fig.- 2 showing a group in which the British flag is. the high card 3 Fig. 3 showing. a group in which the French flag is the high card and Fig. 4 showing a group in which the Italian flag is the high card. These four groups represent different nations and each card has at the left-hand corner a letter i11- dicating respectively, the American group or series; the British group or series; the

French group or series and the Italian group;

or series. In the opposite right-hand corner there is a: count value for certain of these cards and also on each card is a series number indicating the relative value of that particular card.

InFig. 5 of the drawings, I have shown in detail the cards in each series or group, selecting the American group for the purpose of illustration. The sixth cardin the group is the high card and this is the card bearing the American flag. The fifth card of the series has a character or symbol thereon indicating a liberty bond; the fourth card of the series has a character or symbol thereon indicating the army and also a count value which is here indicated as somewhat less than the count value. of the card carrying the flag; the third card of the series has a character or symbol thereon indicating an aeroplane and a count value similar to that of the fourth card of the series; the second card of the series has a character or symbol thereon indicating a submarine and a count value of somewhat less than either the third or fourth cards drawings, 7

cards may be changed and the relative value of the cards may be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

The essential features of each group or series of cards consists in the high card having the symbol indicating the nation and other cards having the symbol indicating the lighting powers of such nation.

I will not attempt to describe in detail the various games which may be played with my improved playing cards. It will be apparent, of course, that games such'as flag games; liberty bond games; organization and mobilization games and sham battle games may be readily devised and played with these cards. I prefer to have an even number of playing cards, and it will be readily understood that the cards may be divided into two general groups for playing a game between groups of nations.

Having thus described my invention, wnat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A pack of cards comprising a number of series or groups of cards, each card in each series having a given character indicating a nation, each series representing a different nation, each series of cards including a card provided with the flag of the nation represented, and a number of cards having symbols emblematic of the lighting powers of such nations, the cards of each series having a character indicating the relative value of the card in the series and certain of the cards having characters indicating the count value given the cards in the final count.

2. A pack of cards comprising a number of series or groups of cards, each card in each series having a common character indicating a nation, each series representing a different nation, each series of cards including a card provided with the flag of the nation represented by the series, a card provided with a symbol indicating the liberty bond, a card provided with a symbol indicating the army, a card provided with a symbol indicating the aeroplane, a card provided with a symbol indicating the submarine, a card provided with a symbol indicating a lm-ttleship, the cards of each series having a character indicating the relative value of the series, and certain of the cards having characters indicating the count value given the cards in the final count.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ELIZABETH M. MQDOVVELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

